Oscars 2026 watches: what the red carpet wore and where to find them pre-owned

The 98th Academy Awards proved what we've been saying for a while: the wrist is the new red carpet battleground. Forget the tuxedos. Forget the gowns. The real story at this year's Oscars played out in tight close-ups of wrists, and the variety was wild.

Here's our rundown of the watches that made the biggest impression — and, because we're watch dealers and not just admirers, where you can actually get your hands on similar pieces pre-owned.

The showstoppers

Leonardo DiCaprio — Rolex 1908 Platinum

DiCaprio arrived nominated for Best Actor wearing Rolex's 1908 in 950 platinum with an ice blue guilloché dial. At 39mm, it's restrained by modern standards, and that's the point. The 1908 line replaced the Cellini as Rolex's dress watch and DiCaprio — as a Rolex ambassador — got the platinum version most of us will never see in a boutique. Retail sits around $48,000 AUD. The secondary market hasn't caught up yet because the 1908 is still too new to have significant pre-owned volume, but give it time.

Kevin O'Leary — Rolex Daytona Ruby + Cartier Crash Skeleton (yes, both at once)

Mr. Wonderful showed up double-wristed, which is either a power move or a cry for help depending on your perspective. Left wrist: a Rolex Daytona ref. 126599TRU in 18K white gold with a ruby bezel and diamond dial — estimated value north of $1 million. Right wrist: a Cartier Crash Skeleton in platinum, one of the most collectible Cartier references in existence. We're not sure what the etiquette is for wearing two watches worth more than most houses, but O'Leary has never been one for subtlety.

Pedro Pascal — Chanel BOY·FRIEND

Pascal continued the growing trend of men wearing traditionally women's watches. The BOY·FRIEND's octagonal case and art deco proportions looked completely at home on his wrist. This is one of the bigger style shifts we're tracking in 2026: gendered watch marketing is dissolving fast, and it's happening on red carpets before it hits mainstream retail.

Timothée Chalamet — Urban Jürgensen UJ-2

The Best Actor winner went independent, as usual. Chalamet has been spotted with vintage AP and obscure dress watches before, and the Urban Jürgensen fits that pattern — a Danish brand with roots back to 1773, making about 500 watches per year. You can't buy one at a regular jeweler, and that's the appeal.

Ryan Coogler — Cartier Tank à Guichets Platinum

The "Sinners" director wore the Tank à Guichets, where "guichets" means "ticket windows" — a fitting nod for a filmmaker. The aperture-style display shows hours and minutes through small windows instead of hands. Limited edition platinum, roughly $96,500 AUD retail. We carry several Cartier pieces including the Panthère and Ballon Bleu collection if the Tank is out of reach.

Get the look: pre-owned picks from our collection

Here's where it gets practical. Several of the brands spotted on the red carpet are sitting in our inventory right now.

Robert Downey Jr.'s Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe

RDJ wore the Bathyscaphe, which happens to be one of our strongest collections. We currently have six Fifty Fathoms variants, including the Bathyscaphe Ceramic Blue — the same family as his watch. Also worth looking at: the Bathyscaphe Flyback Chronograph in green and the 500 Fathoms Limited Edition for something with more wrist presence.

Kumail Nanjiani's Vacheron Constantin Overseas Tourbillon

Nanjiani's Overseas Tourbillon Skeleton in rose gold was one of the most expensive watches at the ceremony. The Overseas line is Vacheron's sporty-elegant entry, and we have the Overseas Chronograph in full rose gold — same collection, same metal, fraction of the tourbillon's price. We also carry the Overseas Dual Time and the Traditionnelle Complete Calendar for those who want Vacheron complications without the six-figure tourbillon premium.

Wagner Moura's Omega De Ville Prestige

The "Secret Agent" star went understated with an Omega De Ville Prestige in stainless steel. We have a vintage Omega De Ville in gold from the same family — same quiet confidence, vintage charm, and a price point that won't require a second mortgage.

Arón Piper's Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Frosted Gold

Piper wore the Royal Oak Frosted Gold in 34mm yellow gold — another example of men choosing smaller, traditionally feminine references. Our AP collection includes the Royal Oak Offshore "Bumble Bee", the 44mm Ceramic, the "Vampire", and the Rose Gold Chronograph. Different references from Piper's pick, but the same AP DNA.

Kieran Culkin's Hublot Classic Fusion

Culkin paired his Hublot Classic Fusion Chronograph King Gold with what looked like genuine discomfort at the attention. We carry Hublot Big Bang Luna Rossa and the King Power Oceanographic 4000 — both in that bold Hublot vein.

The trends we're watching

Men wearing women's watches. Pascal's Chanel, Piper's 34mm Royal Oak, Hudson Williams in a Bulgari Serpenti Tubogas. The size and gendering rules are being rewritten in real time. Expect 34-36mm references to see renewed demand.

Vintage on the carpet. Michael B. Jordan wore a 1970s Piaget Protocole with pavé diamonds. Nicole Kidman chose a vintage Omega. Chalamet's been doing this for years. When A-list celebrities choose 50-year-old watches over brand-new ones, it signals something shifting in how status gets communicated.

Complications as conversation. Josh Groban's Patek Nautilus Annual Calendar, Coogler's jump-hour Tank, Nanjiani's skeleton tourbillon — these aren't simple time-only watches. They're chosen specifically because they invite questions and stories.

Rolex's quiet Oscar dominance

Rolex has sponsored the ceremony since 2017, and this year's Greenroom celebrated the Oyster's 100th anniversary. Host Conan O'Brien wore the new Land-Dweller (ref. 127334), a 2025 debut. Zendaya had a full-diamond Lady-Datejust. Matt Friend wore the Daytona Turquoise on Oysterflex. DiCaprio, as noted, brought the 1908 Platinum. We carry over 20 pre-owned Rolex references, including the Day-Date 40, GMT-Master II "Root Beer", and Submariner.

The 98th Oscars confirmed what the watch world already knew: the wrist is where the real fashion statements happen now. And unlike a rented tuxedo, a watch is something you actually keep.

Browse our full collection of pre-owned luxury watches to find your own red carpet piece.